New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-01
THE RAPIp TRANSIT PR0BLEK
VIEWS OF JACKSON 8 SCHULTZ.
NE nKLfrvEs That An ytsvArxD ROAD srorLp
DE BUILT IN BRoADwAY.-hEAsoNsw WHY HE IA
yoRs THE ELEVATED SYSTEM As AGAINST
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AFRAID


THE UHDgRGRoUSD-Nor AFRAID
or A MONOPOLY.
As long ago as 1888 jackson B.! Bchults became
believer In en- elevated system of roads for convenient
means Of transit In this city Since that time Mr. Schultz
has oil along been advocate OF some such system he
advised Cyrus W. Field to 60 into 1t, and to-day he
retains his faith In the kind Of road as he considers
It the proper and practical solution Of the rapid transit
problem for this city Mr. Schultz Is one Of the commits
soners who have been listening to the New-York Ee-
yated Railway Company's proposition to give the city
additional rapid transit facilities.
Mr. Schultz was seen at his office yesterday and was
asked II no would give his views on the rapid transit
question affecting the interests OF this city. He ss'o
In reply:
aAs am n member of the Rapid Transit Commission,
do not wish to express opinion in the matter in so
far 1t may have bearing on the present appncauoh
AS an individual however have very decided views the
which have long entertained You may be inter-
ested to know that far back as 1885, before there
were any railroads in the city believer In
the elevated railroad system, and had model on
exhibition at the Mechanical socieys rooms under the
City Hall, where the police station now Is
OTHER RAPID TRANSIT PLANS.
Since that time there have been almost numberless
schemes proposed to afford rapid transit for this city
Ono which advocated fifteen years ago and in which
Mayor Hewitt was also interested included disposition
Of the freight transfer system. This that an ele-
waited road should be built around the city passing all the
piers, that freight well as passengers couid Do
carried The idea seemed good one Garbage and dirt
accommodating in the streets were to he carried OH and
iron warehouses on the piers for freight part Of
the plan
HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
"The other day 1 was confronted with my Ideas OF
fifteen years ago by gentleman who Is now urging
plan Of this kind told him that those were undoubtedly
my ideas fifteen years but they were no longer So
The simple Is that times have changed In the
place. dredgcs take the dirt from tho docks
20 cents cubic yard, that 1t Is cheaper to dump
the there and dredge out than TO transport as
contemplated In the old plan In the next place. tho
yanderbilts in conversation had with them, showed
by the OF lighters they can transport freight
from their depots to various points at so cents
ton less cost than that encountered in moving 1t two
blocks by handling 1t in the old II wish lot OF
hides TO be sent by the Pennsylvania Railroad from
Brooklyn storehouse telephone for lighter and II Is
dono for less than could cart 1t two blocks This dis
poses entirely of the need Of any railroad in ts city for
the transportation of freight
THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM
Now do not wsh In view OF my position as commits
oner to condemn any system Of rapid transit for this
city. But do wish something practicable. The under
ground people and say that they can use the
electric motor. Perhaps they can shall go TO froVl
dence to look at But practical demonstration OF
the kind has yet met my observation They say that
they can tunnel under Canalst suppose they and
do I would not ride In it AS an Illustration OF the
practicablty OF an underground road In Broadway
particularly near Canalst-I have had my attention
directed To the tunnel under the Thames and am told
that In the same way a sheetron tunnel something OF
the kind can be constructed here answer that the
Thames tunnel is used only for freight and that 1t does
not pay over onehaf of per cent on the investment
GAsEs AND DOORS UNDER GROUND.
The for this Is that people VIII not travel
under ground least they at all like myself When
was a member OF the Board OF Health we had to make
an order every week regarding tho Murray Hill tunnel
There was not only the odo from the stables but gases
the earth and their odors filled the tunnel
Then there olors anl others still worse
Finally the vanerbts gave mp in despair and begged Ms
take the tunnel and do the best could with IT, Oh
yourse we could do that Now with frequent open
ngs and owing the shotness Of the tunnel thins arc
not bad there But wha: passenger Is not glad whom
le gets out Of the tunnel
LONDON UNDERGROUND ROADS.
I made a special inspection OF the London under |
ground roads, socallei, ut time They are really
mostly oprh cuts Even then they not free from
,ases and doors would not ride in them for tho
purpose OF inspection and satisfying my curiosity The
act is people do like ride under ground Sec how
passengers are on steam roads In
,oing through n lonr tunnel Don't they all breathe
getting out into the air matter how well
ne tunnel or the may be- gnted There Is sense
II sniocaton, OF confinement against winch tue iHihI
WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
"This IL particularly 50 Win women hhf chilhfen.
Women are particularly sensitive to condition Of this
Ind; they will shrink from travelling under ground
They would never voluntarily ride on such road par
hey would have open air and light
TmE ELEVATED SYSTEM
al believe that the elevated System is the only prac
ical solution OF the rapid transit problem When Cyras
Field retained from Europe with the elevated idea in
wO English cnginccrs had been sent over to look INTO
he matter aud II they found IL practicable he had
n a | EXPRESSED
ny faith II 4, the two engineer. reported lay9rsD
orcign capital fortunately got such David Bows
ere TO go into the project and thus 1t was started
ME-. FIELD 4 BENEFACTOR.
"Now consider Slr. Field a benefactor. He deve
ped the elevated railroad idca he did not do it alone.
MI ridc from the Batter TO the Harlem River for
cnts. above dirt and trucks and IN the open air, With
he greatest possible safety
NOT AFRAID or MONOPOLY.
am not much afraid OF monopoes as used TO be-
believe the Manhattan road stands ready to-day 10
nv out Monopoly = what Of IT. Does a monopoly
Which gives yone ride to Kngsbridge for cents
ANY has given the public more than II had reasonable
ight to expect II reduced its fares To cents; II has
hem keep its fares the same. whore would the harm
ONE in Would IL not be public benefit
ELEVATED ROAD ~ BROADWAY.
Now the public the newspapers aud all persons con-
ened have got to lay aside passion and prejudice and
consider this rapid transit problem its merits and on
Is practical side l believe that elevated railroad
honld be built up Broadway and the Boulevard can
xprcss that opinion freely. the Rapid Transit Com
mission has authority TO lay out route there And
Why up broadway Because II Is the backbone OF the
sland ana thonatura line of travel 1t would further
nOrc develop wonderfully the upper part of the island
vest ana northwest OF Central Park Nobody denies That
vc must have more means Of rapid Transit. have
Expressed what great many people consider well
rounded objections 10 underground roads These roads
csldcs, win require an immense capital, and who will
apply ii The underground people said 10 the other
ay that they had such and such capitalists behind them
amng some well known men OF this city. asked them
these capitalists would put their fortunes into tho
chene whether they would take. ten shares and
top there. The that ten shares something
the kind would be the limit That is the practical part
this underground scheme, aside from gases and OlOrs
nd engineering problems. ] do not believe that tho
apital could ever be raised for H."
RIGHTS or BROADWAY PROPERTY-OwNERs.
Mr.. Schultz asked what he would care to say
bout tho rights of Broadway propertyownc affected